Thyroid disease is startlingly common and usually treatable

Around 12% of the United States population will develop some type of thyroid condition in their lifetime.

An estimated 20 million Americans are living with some form of thyroid disease. This is an extremely common condition but knowing what to look for and how to approach treatment can be beneficial for early detection and future care.

What is a thyroid?

The thyroid is a butterfly shaped gland that is located in the lower part of the neck. This gland helps produce necessary hormones that help regulate heart rate, temperature, blood pressure and metabolism. The two most common hormones that the thyroid produces are thyroxine and triiodothyronine.

What is thyroid disease?

Thyroid disease is a common condition that is caused by under-or-over use of the gland.

When the thyroid doesn’t produce enough of a hormone, it’s called hypothyroidism. On the other hand, when the thyroid produces too much of a hormone it’s called hyperthyroidism. Thyroid gland can be enlarged from hypo or hyperthyroidism. Sometimes, thyroid nodules can cause swelling in thyroid.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism are an overwhelming, constant feeling of fatigue, difficulty with concentration, dry skin and constipation.

Symptoms of hyperthyroidism are palpitations, nervousness, tremors, irritability, dry skin and poor concentration.

When thyroid nodules are present, that needs to be evaluated for cancer or overactive nodules.

Because of the range of symptoms associated with thyroid diseases, if you suspect you might have a problem, see your primary care physician for further evaluation. Often, patients realize that they have been living with the symptoms of thyroid disease for months or even years before their diagnosis. A test called the thyroid stimulating hormone test can identify thyroid function disorders before any symptoms begin to show.

How do you get thyroid disease?

Both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism can be cause by underlying diseases, exposure to certain drugs such as lithium and radiation, autoimmune antibodies, or small subtle malfunctions of the thyroid gland.

The main risk factors in developing thyroid disease include:

Gender — Women have a greater risk of developing thyroid disease than men. It’s estimated that women are five-to-eight times more likely to develop a thyroid condition.

Family History — A family history of thyroid disease increases your risk of developing a thyroid condition. The risk is slightly increased if you have a first-degree female relative with thyroid disease.

While having these risk factors present don’t mean you’ll develop a thyroid condition, it’s important to know what factors are present in your life, along with an overall awareness of how you feel. If something seems off, check with your doctor.

What are my treatment options for thyroid disease?

Immediate treatment options coincide with what the problem is with your thyroid, overproduction or underproduction of a hormone.

Depending on which is the root of the issue, medication can help adjust your hormone levels to return to normal.

These medications can range from iodine tablets, hormone replacement tablets to aspirin and are life-long prescriptions.

If thyroid nodules are found, needle biopsy, a simple office procedure can help establish the nature of the nodules in majority of situations. In some cases, typically if precancerous tissue is found, surgical removal of the thyroid gland is necessary. However, more times than not, people with thyroid disease can live normal, healthy lives.

Jennifer Huisman, NP, IU Health Ball Memorial Physicians – Endocrinology, specializes in treatments for Type 1 & Type 2 diabetes, thyroid disorders, and osteoporosis. Learn more at https://iuhealth.org/find-locations/iu-health-ball-memorial-physicians-endocrinology-iu-health-ball-memorial-outpatient-center-5501-w-bethel-ave.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Thyroid disease is startlingly common and usually treatable